Tension or stretcher band for fence posts and the like



1951 c. PELLERITO ETAL 2,968,470

TENSION OR STRETCHER BAND FOR FENCE POSTS AND THE LIKE Filed May 25, 1959 Eli INVENTOR. CHARLES PELLEIPITO mo EDWARD E- WEILAN D ATTORNEY United States Patent TENSION OR STRETCHER BAND FOR FENCE POSTS AND THE LIKE Charles Pellerito, 19923 Beach Road, and Edward E. Weiland, 8901 Greenview, both of Detroit, Mich.

Filed May 25, 1959, Ser. No. 815,730

1 Claim. (Cl. 256-47) This invention relates to fence construction and more particularly to a split tension band for attaching a stretcher bar to a fence post.

The general practice in assembling fences of the chain link or mesh fabric type, is to connect the ends of the fence material to a stretcher bar and to connect the stretcher bar to the fence post by means of tension bands. The bands fit around the terminal posts and fasten to the stretcher bar.

Heretofore it has been common practice to provide a split band having projecting flanges through which bolts and nuts are used for tightly securing the band to the post and for securing the stretcher bar to the bands. While such securing means satisfactorily secure the bands to the post and the stretcher bar, the placing of the bolts in the projecting flanges requires additional parts and consume considerable time and effort to assemble the bolts and nuts. Further more, the bolts form projections beyond the plane of the fence which are objectionable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tension band which is devoid of projections beyond the planes of the fence and one which may be assembled without the use of bolts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a split tension band having projecting flanges for snap interengaging connection when they are pressed together, thereby providing means whereby a fence may be set up quickly and satisfactorily attached to the posts with great strength and permanency by relatively unskilled labor without the use of bolts and nuts of other additional parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a fence post, a stretcher bar, a portion of a chain fence, and the improved tension band for retaining the stretcher bar to the post;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the snap ends of the tension band, shown in Fig. 2, as applied to a portion of a post;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the improved tension band shown in its position before it is applied to the post;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of Fig. 4 as viewed along the line 5-5; and

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5, but showing a modified form of snap fastening means for the tension band.

Referring to the drawings we have shown one end portion of a chain link fence material 10 which receives a stretcher bar 12 and which is attached to a fence post 14.

In assembly or installing the fence, the stretcher bar 12 is inserted through the ends of the loops of the fence ,materialand engaged with conventional block and tackle 2,968,470 Patented Jan. 17, 1961 to properly tension the fence material 10, and bring the stretcher bar 12 into close proximity to the post 14.

The stretcher bar 12 is secured to the post 14 by our improved tension band 16 consisting preferably of a flat metal strap like member bent upon itself so as to provide a band portion 18 which is adapted to fit around the post 14 or other member with which the band is to be used.

The end portions 20 and 22 of the band extend outwardly to one side of the band portion 18 and each are provided with inwardly extending flanges 24 and 26 at right angles to the portions 20 and 22. The free end of the flange 26 is bent inwardly as at 28 into parallel relation with the end portion 22 providing a U-shaped end portion. The inwardly extending flange 28 is provided with an aperture or notch 30 in one edge surface. The flange 24 has a notch 32 in an opposite edge thereof providing a hook 34 having a tapered end portion 36 for entering the notch 30.

When the tensionband is applied to the post and stretcher bar, as shown in Fig. 2, originally in the form shown in Fig. 4, the two end portions 20 and 22 are pressed together where-up-on the tapered portion 36 of the hook 34 enters the notch 30. This causes a warping of the end portion 20 out of horizontal alignment with the end portion 2 until the highest point of the tapered surface 36 passes over the upper surface 38 of the notch 30. After this position is reached, the end portion 20 springs back to its original position with the upper surface 38 of the notch 30 falls into the notch 32 and rests against the lower surface 40 of the notch 32 with the side surface 42 held tightly against the inner surface of the inwardly extending flange 28. If desired, and as shown in Fig. 6, the notch 32 may be provided with a overhanging lip 44 which enters a notch 46 in the flange 26' to more firmly hold the parts in locked position.

When it is desired to remove the band from its locked position on the post, the end portion is pressed to a warped portion suflicient to have the bottom surface 38 of the notch 30 clear the highest point of the tapered surface 36 and the end portions 20 and 22 separated. In the form shown in Fig. 6, the end portions 20 and 22 must be pressed into closer relation before warping so that the surface 46 will clear the lip 44 after which the end portion 20 can be warped to clear the surface 38.

As a result of our invention, it will be seen that there is provided a tension or stretcher band which can be inexpensively manufactured and one which consists of a single part. It will also be seen that our improved tension band can be conveniently assembled and removed from the post with which it is to be used, without the aid of expensive tools.

It will be understood that various changes, including the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made, for example, the flanges 26 and 28 may be omitted and the hook 34 may be engaged in the end portion 22, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is our intention to include within the fair meaning of the claim such changes as may be reasonably expected.

We claim:

A tension band for fence posts and the like, comprising a metallic bend formed to provide a post encircling portion adapted to fit around a post or other member with which the band is to be used and having free end portions arranged in side by side relation extending radially from said encircling portion, one of said free end portions having an inwardly extending flange at its outer end provided with a notch in one edge surface thereof, the outer end of said flange having a tapered edge surface, the other of said free end portions having a portion extending toward said first named end portion, and a flange extending toward said encircling portion, said last named flange having a notch in one edge thereof for receiving said first named notch, the notches being interengaging by pressing said free end portions toward each other with the tapered edge surface warping said free end portions for notch in notch engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

